Its primary focus is to heighten pharmacy’s awareness and increase pharmacy’s influence in the state’s political and governmental process. Working on behalf of Texas pharmacy professionals and the patients they serve, PharmPAC assists TPA in public policy education, political activities, grassroots and advocacy. PharmPAC helps build and strengthen relationships with state officeholders and encoura
ges positive dialogue and sound legislation that protects the pharmacy profession and enhances your abilities to help patients. The formal goals of PharmPAC are:
To improve and protect the pharmacy profession by encouraging pharmacists, technicians, students and other individuals – on a non-partisan basis - to become more active and effective in state governmental affairs;
To assist pharmacy professionals and other individuals in understanding the actions of state government regarding important political issues as well as the political and legislative records of state officeholders and candidates for public office;
To educate pharmacy professionals and others about the political/legislative process and encourage their greater involvement in the electoral process and voting;
To promote fair and responsible legislation affecting pharmacies, pharmacy professionals and patients;
To solicit financial contributions from pharmacy professionals and others to be used in assisting state officeholders and candidates for public office;
To assist and support state officeholders and candidates for public office through PharmPAC political endorsements and financial support; and
To uphold the tradition of individual liberty and support the rights guaranteed by the constitutions and laws of the United States and the State of Texas. It does - especially when you combine your voice with other pharmacy advocates. Pharmacy is YOUR profession . . . use your political voice to protect and improve it. Whether you like it or not, the political process affects you personally every day. It also has a major impact on your pharmacy career. Government affects all aspects of the pharmacy profession as well as the pharmacy operations, including licensing and personnel requirements, relationships with patients, reimbursements, insurance policies, record-keeping demands and more. Clearly, laws and regulations made in Austin have a direct impact every area of your life. You can let things happen or make them happen. When pharmacy professionals get involved in politics, they help ensure that health policies benefit both the patients and profession. Protecting your profession and business is critical. And becoming a PharmPAC Member is an important first step! Pharmacy must support and help elect individuals who are accessible, willing to listen to your opinions and interested in learning how their decisions impact you. Lawmakers must be educated about pharmacy issues and must be made aware of the full implications of their policy decisions. Now more than ever, you need legislators who understand and support your patients and profession. The candidates and office holders that are supportive of pharmacy need your help. The cost of political campaigns continues to grow and our friends must have adequate financial resources to win. The funds you invest in PharmPAC are used to help pharmacy-supportive individuals with their political campaigns for public office in Texas. By the way, PharmPAC also keeps PAC members informed and educated about the political and legislative processes as well as the public policy issues of importance to the profession. PharmPAC is your election tool to help shape and protect the health of your patients and your practice. You should know that pharmacy oftentimes battles with other special interests in enacting legislation or adopting regulations of importance. Some of these individuals and organizations attempt to derail measures that would help pharmacy care. Become a PharmPAC Member
Membership in PharmPAC is available to pharmacy professionals, pharmacy employees, members of their immediate families, and others affiliated with TPA. Individuals can become members of PharmPAC during the calendar year in which one of the following takes place:
Making a personal financial contribution to the segregated fund used for political disbursements; or
Making a corporate financial contribution to the segregated fund used for operational, grassroots and educational purposes. To help raise an additional $100,000 annually, PharmPAC encourages all Texas Pharmacists to invest at least $100 annually and all Pharmacy Technicians to invest at least $25 annually. Political Endorsements and Contributions
Endorsement and contribution decisions are made by the PharmPAC Board of Directors. The Board oversees all PharmPAC operational and financial decisions. Endorsement of a political candidate allows PharmPAC to publicly indicate its support without necessarily providing a financial contribution. Often, a candidate seeks an endorsement to use in campaign literature and on a political website. A candidate certainly wants financial assistance too, but many times, an endorsement can be as important as a contribution. Endorsements of statewide candidates and other officeholders are determined by the Board, at its sole discretion. The Board considers recommendations for endorsement and/or contributions developed by its staff with input from its Advisory Committee. However, decisions are made through a balanced endorsement process, which considers the following:
TPA membership support;
Support by members on the PharmPAC Board;
Personal positions regarding TPA policy issues;
Voting and/or public support of TPA policy issues;
Candidate or officeholder surveys, as appropriate;
Legislative leadership position(s);
History of being accessible;
Probability of being elected; and
Candidate interviews by the Board, as needed. The composition of the Board strives to reflect the ethic, geographic and practice diversity of Texas pharmacy. Though PharmPAC is a separate entity from TPA - with its own board and bylaws – board members must be TPA members as well as investors in PharmPAC.
